Lavender: Why Bridestowe Is Popular

Bridestowe Lavender Estate… you’d only ever visit there in summer, right? When the gorgeous purple blooms cover the hillside and offer up a dream scene for anyone with a camera? I have to confess, I may have been guilty of that very thought. But that was before we made our way there in June (yep, in winter) for a look-see during our research mission to north east Tasmania. Now, I think it’s a great place to visit regardless of the season.

During the lavender flowering season, Bridestowe charge a small entrance fee to visit the farm. But there’s no charge at all in the off-season, and there’s the first positive right there! We were greeted warmly at the restaurant and gift shop complex by the staff, all with smiles wide enough to brighten any winter’s day. And we had the whole place to ourselves.

Lounging on the chairs by the wood fire, were two of the most beautiful cats I’ve ever seen. They were friendly even. Apparently dumped at the farm as tiny kittens, they’ve adapted to their new life as the Bridestowe Lavender Estate welcoming-committee, and tourists like us just love taking photos of them.

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Team Kitty: Bridestowe Lavender Farm

Once we’d ordered our lunch, we had a chance to watch a video and learn a little more about the lavender farm. Then we checked out all the merchandise made from the versatile purple flower. This is definitely one Tasmanian tourist attraction that has a lot of territory covered from one core product. The gift shop has something to suit everyone, from gourmet teas and preserves to teddy bears and soaps… and seemingly everything in-between.

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Gavin is loving the lavender

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Honey, tea and rhubarb jelly: lavender

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Gift shop: Bridestowe Lavender Farm

Lavender-Infused Ice-Cream

Our lunch was simple, but delicious: pumpkin soup with damper; savoury scones with a chunky tomato chutney and a pretty decadent plate of pancakes with berries and ice-cream. The ice-cream was infused with culinary-grade lavender oil, and at first, I was a bit hesitant to sample a taste.

Another confession about my preconceptions… I had thought that food and drink flavoured with lavender might remind me of soap! As it turns out, that was silly really, because the ice-cream was absolutely divine. But that’s exactly the reason we like to experience things first-hand before we write about them for Think Tasmania, so we can offer an informed opinion. And now I wouldn’t hesitate recommending Tasmanian lavender as a flavour for food. So there you go!

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Winter lunch: Bridestowe Lavender Estate

Tour of the Lavender Farm

To round out our first-class experience of Bridestowe, the manager of the lavender farm met us at the cafe and took us for a tour of the distillery. Anna started with the business about seven years ago when her family moved to the region. Originally, she worked during the harvest period, but over the years she’s progressed through all the departments (including the kitchen) and now works in a field she is clearly passionate about.

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Anna, manager of the lavender farm

Declaring winter her favourite time of the year, Anna gave us a great insight into the distilling process. Huge barrels of mauve flowers are harvested and pressed to make oil. The lavender oil is then used to make a wide variety of products, including the ice-cream we’d just eaten. The oil is so potent, only a few drops are required to flavour a whole tub. And that’s fortunate really, because when you see the size of the vat holding the oil from the entire farm, you realise it’s not exactly massive. With demand so high for their product, Bridestowe Lavender Estate might need to plant even more of those pretty purple flowers over more hills in north east Tasmania.

Comments relevant to this article are always most welcome, just leave a reply below. But first… please confirm the date of this article. Have you found something current, or is this ancient information? Either way, thanks for your company and come back again soon.

Map: Bridestowe Lavender Estate, Tasmania…

About The Author

Researching and reporting all things Tasmanian: what a great job! That's where Tania finds herself now, immersed in the fantastic lifestyle offered by Australia's island state. With her family, she lives it, writes about it and takes the photos to promote it. And now she shares it all with her readers...

This will have to be an earlier visit from us the next time we travel to your Lavender farm, as we missed out visiting in between the end of February into March and to see the Lavender in full bloom before the harvest 🙂

Hi Kristine
Can we suggest you follow Bridestowe Lavender on Facebook? There are many beautiful photos shared there, and lots of information about what to expect during each season. Have a wonderful trip, and enjoy your time at the lavender farm.
All the best, Tania

HI Kristine,
The farm is still beautiful and there are lovely walks, the cafe and the giftshop , however the Lavender has all been harvested by then. If you are looking for the spectacular vistas of purple during peak flowering season the best time to visit is between December and January (depending on Mother nature)
We progressively harvest from around the 2nd week in January